Thanks to the unique Super League Triathlon Short Chute rule – and a decision by Scorpions Team Boss Michael Gilliam - Leo Bergere topped last year’s SLT champion Hayden Wilde for the 2023 Grand Final in Neom and the Series Title.
Early in Saturday’s SLT contest, Wilde earned a Short Chute but Team Captain Michael Gilliam awarded the Short Chute benefit to Wilde’s teammate Henri Schoeman. This decision tipped the scales for the day and the Series Championship decisively in favor of Bergere. Bergere, last year’s WTCS World Champion, was allocated his Eagles’ team Short Chute for the run, which allowed him to open a decisive gap. By the finish of the final run, Bergere led Wilde by 9 seconds which gave the Frenchman the NEOM win and 49 to 45 points lead over Wilde for the Series Championship.
In the women’s contest, Casandre Beaugrand dominated the field for her second win of her two races in the SLT season. But the overall season win went to Britain’s Kate Waugh, who finished second on the day. Waugh’s 44 season points totaled over 4 races was tied with Jeanne Lehair but was awarded the Championship by a tiebreaker – a superior most recent result. Emma Lombardi of France took 4th on the day but took third in the Championship Series with 41 points, six points ahead of Beaugrand’s 4th place in the series.
Men’s Race Recap
Stage 1
Max Stapley was expected to lead the swim but suffered a 5-seconds penalty for a false start, giving the swim lead to last year’s NEOM winner Matt Hauser of Australia, who consequently took the Short Chute benefit for his Eagles team. Bergere, Wilde and Jonny Brownlee were in place to earn a Championship Series title with a win on the day, But Wilde earned the bike Short Chute while Bergere fell on the bike.
Stage 2
On the bike section, Wilde, Bergere and Seth Rider of the U.S. led a breakaway over a a six-man chase pack which included Jonny Brownlee. The trio hammered asway to a decisive lead, which put Brownlee out of contention for the day and the Championship Series title.
At the point Gilliam. perhaps in sight of the Team Prize chose to give the Scorpions Short Chute to Henri Schoeman instead of Wilde. A similar choice paid off with a win last year. But last year’s brilliant move was to flub this time around.
By contract, Eagles Team Captain Tim Don went with Bergere. Thereupon Bergere and Wilde blasted to a 23-seconds lead at the end of the second run.
Stage 3
There were no changes on the Stage 3 final swim and bike. So it all came down to the final 1.6km run between Toulouse winner Bergere and Malibu victor Wilde battling for all the marbles. The Short Chute made an immediate difference as Bergere took an early lead. While Wilde made a charge leading up to the run turnaround, but the New Zealander ran out of gas as Bergere and Wilde hit the tape 1-2. Yee took 3rd, Hauser 4th and Olympic champ Kristian Blummenfelt took 5th.
Thanks to his Short Chute, Schoeman took 6th followed by Tayler Reid.
The Eagles took the $120,000 team prize with 425 points, 18 points ahead of the Scorpions and 35 points ahead of the Sharks.
Super League Triathlon Neom 2023 Men's results
Race Results
1. Leo Bergere
2. Hayden Wilde +9s
3. Alex Yee +31s
4. Matt Hauser +34s
5. Kristian Blummenfelt +45s
Final Championship standings
1. Leo Bergere 49pts
2. Hayden Wilde 45pts
3. Alex Yee 41pts
4. Henri Schoeman 36pts
5. Jonny Brownlee 36pts
Final Team Standings
1. Santara Tech Eagles – 425pts
2. Bahrain Victorious Scorpions – 407pts
3. RTP Sharks – 390pts
4. RTS Warriors – 220pts
Super League Triathlon NEOM Women’s Race Recap
Stage 1
Olivia Mathias led the way with a power-packed swim to win the Sharks the first short chute and early on the bike she was joined in the leading group of eight by Sharks teammates Waugh, Sophie Coldwell and Jess Fullagar.
In the pack of eight were Championship contenders Jeanne Lehair and Emma Lombardi of the Eagles, , plus Sharks teammates Waugh and Coldwell, as well as Malibu winner Beaugrand and Taylor Spivey, just recovered from an illness that kept her out of Malibu.
Waugh won the second Short Chute. By the end of the first run the leading eight had been shaved to four - Lehair, Lombardi, Waugh and Beaugrand - with an 18 seconds lead on the chasers.
Lehair sped away for a win on the run, earning a Short Chute for the Eagles.
Stage 2
On the Stage 2 swim. Beaugrand surged to a lead. On the bike, Spivey and Mathias bridged up to join the what became a leading six-pack. The six stayed together on the run, setting up a battled for the Stage 3 finale.
Stage 3
At the swim start, Frenchwomen Beaugrand and Lombardi broke to the front. After a super swift transition, Lombardi broke into a 50-meter lead on the bike on the other five. Thanks to a leveling wind, all six started the final run in a close pack. Lehair lost time in transition, wiping out her Short Chute advantage while Waugh and Beaugrand surged ahead.
Beaugrand, as she had at Malibu, had the power to maintain the lead. But Waugh proceeded with confidence to take second place, which would guarantee her the Championship Series victory.
At the tape, it was a race win for Beaugrand, a Series title for Waugh, and third for Lehair.
Emma Lombardi took 4th and Olivia Mathias ran 5th.
Super League Triathlon Neom 2023 women's results
Race Results
1. Cassandre Beaugrand (FRA)
2. Kate Waugh (GBR)
3. Jeanne Lehair (LUX)
4. Emma Lombardi (FRA)
5. Olivia Mathias (GBR)
Final Championship Series standings
1. Kate Waugh (GBR) – 44pts
2. Jeanne Lehair (LUX) – 44pts
3. Emma Lombardi (FRA) – 41pts
4. Cassandre Beaugrand (FRA) – 35pts
5. Olivia Mathias (GBR) – 34pts
